Political News 27/8 Maritime security, cooperation top ASEAN forum’s agenda Representatives from Southeast Asian nations have begun discussions on maritime security and cooperation at a regional meeting which opened in Danang city, central Vietnam, on August 27. The ASEAN Maritime Forum, the fifth of its kind, aims to highlight ASEAN’s key role in boosting maritime cooperation, building confidence, and promoting solidarity in the region. The AMF-5 is also expected to ensure security, safety and freedom of navigation in the East Sea in accordance with international law, including the 1982 UN Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS), and the 2002 ASEAN-China Declaration on the Conduct of Parties in the East Sea (DOC) towards formulating a Code of Conduct in the region (COC). Addressing the opening ceremony, Nguyen Vu Tu, deputy head of SOM ASEAN Vietnam at the forum, affirmed that maritime cooperation is an increasingly important issue that is given high priority by ASEAN member countries, given the current context. The goal of the meeting is to strengthen maritime cooperation through dialogues and consultations, contributing to security, safety and freedom of navigation in the region, he said. During the two-day event, delegates review the realisation of initiatives adopted at the previous forum, discuss ways to increase cooperation in such areas as humanitarian aid, natural disaster mitigation, management and protection of marine ecosystems, biodiversity and fisheries resources, including fishing cooperation on an equal basis. As scheduled, the 3rd expanded ASEAN Maritime Forum (AMF-3) will also take place in Danang city on August 28, examining 20 years of implementing the 1982 UNCLOS in the region. It will be attended by representatives from 10 ASEAN member states and 8 partner countries, namely the US, China, Russia, India, Japan, the Republic of Korea, Australia, and New Zealand. Ho Chi Minh City leader welcomes EC President Chairman of the Ho Chi Minh City People’s Committee Le Hoang Quan hosted a reception on August 26 for Jose Manuel Durao Barroso, President of the European Commission (EC), who is on a Vietnam visit at an invitation of Prime Minister Nguyen Tan Dung. Quan said he hopes that Barroso’s visit will help to further strengthen friendship and cooperation between Vietnam and the European Union. The bilateral ties have grown strongly despite the global-scale economic crisis, he said adding that the promotion of negotiations on a Vietnam-EU Free Trade Agreement (FTA) toward the early signing of the agreement will contribute to intensifying cooperation for both sides’ interests. According to Quan, HCM City, the country’s largest economic hub, has received much attention from EU investors, focusing on economics, trade, science, education, health and tourism. The city now has 233 representative offices of European groups and companies. EU investors are running 833 projects in the locality with a combined capital of over 8.9 billion USD. Two-way trade between Ho Chi Minh and the EU has developed rapidly. In the first seven months of 2014, the city exported products worth more than 2.1 billion USD to the EU, while spending over 1.2 billion USD on importing goods from the union. For his part, EC President Barroso expressed his pleasure to witness the city’s strong development and briefed the host of outcomes of his talks with Vietnamese leaders. He said he had earlier the day met with representatives of European companies operating in Vietnam and almost of them affirmed they are satisfied and see the future for cooperation and development in Vietnam, including HCM City. According to the EC official, the conclusion of the Vietnam-EU FTA in the coming time will be a basis for promoting trade between the two sides, benefiting both business community and people. European firms highly value Vietnam’s human resources, he said, adding that EU is willing to increase cooperation in the field with the Southeast Asian nation. As part of his visit to the city, Barroso toured several cultural and historic establishments. Cambodian officials on fact-finding trip to Long An A delegation from the Cambodian province of Prey Veng led by Chairman of provincial Council S’bong Sarat made a fact-finding trips to several areas in the southern province of Long An on August 25. They toured Thuan Dao and Vinh Loc 2 industrial zones in Ben Luc district, Ha Phu high-yield rice farm, a dragon fruit orchard in Duong Xuan Hoi commune, and Hoang Phat dragon fruit export company in Chau Thanh district. Long An senior officials and the guests shared farming experience and specific business incentives for industrial parks.- Religious dignitaries lauded for national security protection Deputy Prime Minister Nguyen Xuan Phuc has called on religious dignitaries to play a greater role in mobilising people in forging a sound security in their residential areas. Phuc was speaking at a conference in the northern province of Nam Dinh on August 26 to review the results of the 20-year campaign involving all from Catholics-inhabited areas to safeguard national security. He said he expects the dignitaries will continue linking authorities and religious followers and stand on the front line of revolutionary campaigns. He lauded Catholic dignitaries and followers nationwide for their part in the cause of national construction and defence, saying they are an indispensable part of the great national unity. Deputy PM Phuc urged ministries and agencies to put religious laws and policies in full place while fostering consensus among different religions, ethnic groups and every walk of life. There is a must to stamp out illegal preaches, superstitious practices and sabotage of the national interests in the name of religion, he said. Deputy Minister of Public Security To Lam heaped praise on social models that spread widely in cities and provinces nationwide, citing those to ward off social vices and bring about a peaceful life as examples. Participants shared experience and discussed how to bring the goodness of the campaign far and wide. Attending the event were senior officials from 63 cities and provinces together with 175 religious dignitaries and role models in the campaign.- PM urges accelerating grant of autonomy to universities Prime Minister Nguyen Tan Dung on August 26 urged the education sector to accelerate the granting of autonomy to State-run universities, which he said is a breakthrough to improve tertiary education quality. At a working session on the issue, PM Dung noted some initial encouraging results, with some schools now able to pay their staff salaries and regular spending by themselves. However, it is still far behind expectation, the Cabinet leader said, calling for more efforts to enable public universities to make their own decision concerning their operation from budget spending, organizational apparatus to recruitment and curriculum building. PM Dung told the Government Office and the Ministry of Education and Training to receive feedback from representatives of relevant agencies and universities to finalise a draft government resolution on the issue, to be tabled for debate at the cabinet’s August meeting.- Conference discusses optimising local government The National Assembly Office and the Danish Parliament Office jointly organised a conference in Hue city, in the central province of Thua Thien-Hue, focusing on how to optimise the efficiency of local government structures. The event, running from August 25-26, was part of a public participation and accountability project under the Good Governance and Public Administration Reform Programme Phase II (GOPA II), funded by the Danish Government during the 2012-2015 period. According to NA Office Chairman Nguyen Hanh Phuc, in previous decades the organisation of local government was not addressed in detail, that is, until the 13th National Assembly passed the revised Constitution on November 28, 2013. The 2013 Constitution promulgates new regulations for local government that reflect the specific characteristics of not only rural, urban and island areas, but also of special administrative-economic units, whilst allocating power and jobs to government at all levels, he said. The Government plans to submit a draft Local Government Organisation Law to the NA at its eighth session in October, with hopes of the law being approved in the ninth NA assembly session in May 2015, said Phuc, adding that he would like to see conference participants contribute actively to the law. Opinions raised during the event focused on the organisation and operational modes of local government, the institutional arrangements of the People’s Council and People’s Committee, as well as the relationship between central and local governments, and decentralisation. Associate Prof. Nguyen Cuu Viet at the Ho Chi Minh City Law University said the Law on Local Government Organisation should allow for a diversity of models of local government, thus enhancing their operational efficiency. He proposed empowering localities to determine their own administration model based on their local characteristics, in accordance with the 2013 Constitution. Meanwhile, Dr. Nguyen Van Cuong, Vice Director of the Institute of Legal Science under the Ministry of Justice said the allocation of power across government at all levels should go hand in hand with close supervision and inspections conducted by the central government in order to safeguard a smooth implementation of state power. Experts on local government from Denmark and the Republic of Korea also shared practical experiences seen in their respective countries.- National Day of Vietnam celebrated in South Africa More than 400 Vietnamese and foreign delegates attended a meeting in Pretoria capital on August 26 to mark Vietnam’s 69th National Day (September 2). Addressing the ceremony, Vietnamese ambassador to South Africa Le Huy Hoang reviewed tremendous achievements Vietnamese people have made over the years under the leadership of the Communist Party of Vietnam. He affirmed that Vietnam carries on its foreign policy of independence, self-reliance and openness, and it wants to be a friend and reliable partner of the international community.   Vietnam is making every effort to accelerate its international integration, contributing to global peace and development, while settling regional and international issues, including the recent East Sea tensions, through peaceful measures, in accordance with international law and the UN Charter, he said. The diplomat expressed pleasure at the increased cooperation between Vietnam and South Africa, especially in economics and trade, with their two-way trade expected to hit more than US$1 billion in 2014. Besides the close political bond, Hoang noted both countries still have huge potential for furthering cooperation in investment, education, national defence, security, and environmental protection. The Party and State of Vietnam attach importance to boosting relations with South Africa which is Vietnam’s largest trade partner in Africa and an important member of the Group of Twenty (G 20) and the group of emerging economies (Brazil, Russia, India, China and South Africa – BRICS), he said. Khadija Margadie, Assistant Minister of Water and Environmental Affairs, stressed South Africa highly values the ties of friendship and cooperation with Vietnam fostered by late President Nelson Mandela of South Africa and late President Ho Chi Minh of Vietnam and other leaders of the two countries. She said both countries need to make good use of their fine political relations, including relations between their ruling parties [the Communist Party of Vietnam (CPV) and the African National Congress (ANC)], to further promote all-round cooperation, primarily in the areas of their strength such as export of commodities, education and environmental protection. She expressed hope that Vietnam will share its experience in agricultural development, and poverty reduction with South Africa, as well as increasing cooperation with the African nation at regional and multilateral forums. Participating guests enjoyed several traditional dishes of Vietnam and South Africa at the function. Party leader meets ex-youth volunteers, war heroes Caring for those who rendered service to the nation, including former youth volunteers, is the responsibility of the Party, State, and the entire society, said Party General Secretary Nguyen Phu Trong. he Party leader made the affirmation while meeting with a delegation of ex-youth volunteers and heroes of the armed forces nationwide on August 26 in Hanoi, on the occasion of the August Revolution Day (August 19) and the National Day (September 2). He stated that every Vietnamese owes a debt of gratitude to generations of ex-youth volunteers whose great contributions and sacrifices made during the wars were honored in the country’s history. The Party chief hailed the effective operation of the Ex-Youth Volunteers’ Association of Vietnam in all fields, especially in caring for the living conditions of its members and giving advices to the Party and State on how to devise better support policies. He listened to their difficulties and expressed hope to receive more opinions from them for the effective implementation of the policies. On the behalf of the delegation, Chairman of the Ex-Youth Volunteers’ Association of Vietnam Nguyen Anh Lien thanked the Party and State for both material and spiritual care for the ex-youth volunteers. He said the association has launched a movement amongst its members nationwide to support each other in poverty reduction. On the occasion, the Party leader presented gifts to the ex-youth volunteers, heroes and their families. Congratulations to Thai interim PM Prime Minister Nguyen Tan Dung on August 26 conveyed a message of congratulation to Prayuth Chanocha, who was endorsed as Thailand’s interim Prime Minister by the Thai King. orn in 1954, Prayuth was selected by the National Legislative Assembly as interim prime minister last Thursday. The army chief and head of the National Council for Peace and Order (NCPO) received the royal command at the Army Headquarters. In an address delivered afterwards, he vowed to safeguard national interests and work on national reconciliation. Source: VOV/VNA/VNS/ND